Bella's POV
After Leah and I talked about Jake and how it affects me more than it affects her I called him and asked him if he wanted to hang out one day, just us. Not even the kids. I could tell he was suspicious but he agreed.
So now Embry is here with all the kids because Quil had clients that only he deals with coming in suddenly.
Jake picks me up and I kiss all the kids and hug Embry and he tells me that if Jake pisses me off he'll kick his ass for me.
"Not necessary." I tell him.
Jake starts driving and I thought we were going to the beach but we're going in the wrong direction.
"Jake?"
"Oh yeah… change of plans. Quil asked me to turn this into a kidnap Bells thing so we're going to Seattle where we will spend the day together like you wanted and then tonight Quil is coming and you're staying for a week. The kids are all taken care of… Embry is taking Lacy and Derek for the nights and then Leah is keeping them plus Ari during the day. That was ,of course, Leah's idea and for the record she cares about you, not Embry. Now on to the reason we're here… things with Embry and I aren't going to get better so plead his case and then we can enjoy the day. I never get you to myself and I want to enjoy the day, not think about him."
"What is your deal with him?" I ask him hoping to make this simple since he clearly knows my motives. Thank you Leah I think.
"My deal? Are you serious Bells? My deal is, he's in love with you and he doesn't even try to hide it. The way he looks at you… I don't understand how you and Quil are just fine with it."
"We're fine with it because Embry is a good person who would never try to steal his best friend's wife."
"What if something were to happen with Quil, like he dies… you know he would do everything he could to get you, even with Stacy in the picture."
"That's not true, he loves Stacy. He would be there for me yes, but I don't think he feels like that about me anymore. But what I don't understand is why you care so much when I don't care and Quil doesn't care and Embry hasn't done anything to deserve this. You're not hurting him Jake… you're hurting me and Quil and if you can't start playing nice you're going to be hurting Lacy and Aidan and Leah because in the end…"
"You'd pick him. I get it, it's never changed." He tells me trying not to sound hurt.
"I just have a connection with him Jake. When we were fighting, I hated it. It hurt so much. It's not like I love Quil though, it's more of like he's my protector, my safe place. I love you too but it's more of "familiar we grew up together" kind of thing." I explain to him, really wanting him to understand.
"Embry told me once that you love everyone you meet, just in different ways. He's right and I don't want to lose you Bells and I don't want to lose Quil and I definitely don't want you and Leah to be put in an awkward position. But I just don't know… you were my best friend and he stole you from me."
"But he didn't Jake; we still hung out all the time until you got back together with Leah and then started working all the time. Us not being as close as we used to be has nothing to do with Embry. Even when I wasn't speaking to Embry we didn't really hang out. I want to be able to have everyone over to my house without worrying about you snapping at him. He doesn't even like you to be around Ari because he's afraid your hate for him will transfer to her but he cares about me enough to let it be until you actually say anything bad to her."
"Bells I don't hate him and I would never say or do anything to Ari. I'm so sorry that I overreacted like this. I'll try to make things right with him OK?"
After that's all settled we check into the hotel I am staying at for the next week and then we swim and eat and just hang out for the rest of the day watching movies.
"I miss this Jake, you being you the happy Jake I grew up with. You're so dark and gloomy around Embry." I tell him as we lay on my bed eating marshmallows and chocolate chips.
"I miss you Bells. We're going to fix this. I will make more time to hang out with all of you more and I will make things right with Embry."
"I know it's not all your fault but Embry never wanted it to go this far, and really it is mostly your fault."
He tells me he gets it and he will do everything he can to restore peace to my group. I laugh and tell him it's our group.
"I guess it's dumb for me to think you and Quil would be bothered by him being in love with you when I'm lying in bed with you right now. You two are just weird." He tells me laughing. "You look tired, you should nap, Quil will be here in a couple of hours and he's taking you out. Enjoy this week Bells, don't worry about the kids. Leah might go insane by the end of the week but the kids will be fine."
"I know my kids will be fine but Ari doesn't really know her like she knows me. I mean she knows her but she spends most of her time with me."
"You know eventually they are going to want her to stay with Stacy." He tells me and I tell him I know and I will let it happen without a fight. Stacy is still working right now but they are talking about having a baby and once it's born they want her to stay home.
I close my eyes and what seems like seconds later I hear laughing so I pry them open.
"Hey babe, you've been out for like 3 hours." Quil tells me and he comes to sit with me on the bed. "We missed our dinner reservation but if you feel like it we can get something to eat and then go to a late movie or something."
"I'm sorry; you should have woke me up." I tell him feeling bad.
"Don't worry about, Jake said you closed your eyes and started snoring so I figured you were exhausted. I should have known, I should have made plans for another day. I mean I did make plans for other days, I just shouldn't have made plans for tonight."
Jake tells us goodbye and leaves after promising me again he'll talk to Embry and he'll make sure Leah doesn't go insane with all the kids.
"Since we already missed dinner do you think we can just order something from room service and chill out tonight? I didn't realize how tired I really was."
"Anything you want babe, this is all about you. I know you're exhausted with all the kids and I know this whole Jake/Embry thing has been stressing you out." He kisses me and reaches over to get the menu.
Right I think… it's been stressing me out.
"Jake says he's going to make things right with him." I tell him pointing out what food I want.
"I hope he does because it's getting to the point where I don't even want Jake to come over since we have Ari so much, she's little now but she's smart."
We spend the rest of the evening in bed eating and talking and laughing so hard I'm crying. It's nice to be here without having to worry about the kids, even if the worry is always there in the back of my head.
"Their fine Bells, even Ari. She likes Leah and she's a social kid. Funny how you worry more about Ari than our kids. Maybe I should be worried about you and Embry…" He tells me knowing exactly what I'm thinking about it. I smack him and he laughs. He knows why I worry about Ari more. Lacy loves Leah and Aidan and Derek is happy wherever Ari is. I guess more than anything I should worry about poor Leah.
Falling asleep in a bed with just Quil is amazing and waking up in total peace and quiet is even better.
For the next 3 days we spend a lot more time in the room than he planned and in between that we see a movie and eat real food from restaurants without chicken nuggets and see a play and take walks in this beautiful park across the street.
On the 4th day I wake up to him staring at me.
"What?" I mumble half asleep still.
"I miss the kids, even Ari. So I know it must be killing you." He tells me.
"Yeah I was doing pretty good until dinner last night with that little girl next to us but I didn't want to say anything to you because you planned this whole thing."
"Do you want to go home? It's up to you because I did plan this whole week for you. I miss them but I don't spend all my time with them."
"How about we spend like half the day here and then go home?" I ask him. I really do miss them but at the same time I love the peace and quiet.
"Sounds good to me." He kisses me and then we get up and ready for our last day here.
We eat breakfast and then go shopping and then eat lunch and then take one last peaceful walk through the park.
The ride home is just as fun as the whole trip was. Everything is fun with him.
"I love you Quil. I love that you can make me laugh so hard I cry. I love that even when I'm moody and snappy you don't get mad at me. I love how good of a dad you are to Lacy and Derek and that you understand how much Ari means to me. And I love that you're never jealous when most men would be. I love you so much." I tell him crying.
"Don't cry babe, I love you too. You're amazing in everything you do. You take such good care of me and the kids and all our friends even when you're so tired and you're running on coffee and Dr. Pepper. But lately I think you've been trying to do too much or something. I don't know if it's because the kids are getting bigger and more active or the whole Jake/Embry thing but by the time I get home you look like you're ready to fall over and die. So I'm asking you to please take it easy, don't worry so much. Let me make dinner sometimes or tell me to bring dinner home and don't worry so much about the house."
"I'll try and thank you for this week and for being you."
We get home and attacked by kids and by Leah who was right on the verge of going crazy.
Nothing in the world could be better than this.
A/N my stories are now being beta-ed (is that right? is that even a word?) by allieleigh. She is awesome!